We may do with him what we please. For
the King said at parting, It was Lampe who
betrayed you, Reineke.—Thereat Lampe was
terrified, and sought escape; but Reineke stood
in the door-way, and seized him by the neck,
as he cried aloud, O help, Belline! I am
undone! The pilgrim murders me!—He did
not long cry, for the Fox soon bit his throat
asunder. So he received his visitor. Come,
now, said he, the Hare is fat, and let us eat
him. For the first time in his life the fool is
good for something. Reineke set to work
then with his wife and children; they soon
took off the hare's skin, and began their
dinner.

Dame Ermelyn said, How did you get free?
—That is a long story, he answered. But I
must confess that the friendship between me
and his majesty has but few days to run.
When he discovers the truth, I have no more
mercy to look for.

Now Belline at the door began to cry
impatiently: Lampe, are you not coming? It
is time we started.—Reineke, hearing that,
went out and said: My dear friend, Lampe
entreats that you will pardon him; he is enjoying
the society of his aunt, and begs that you
will be pleased to walk slowly on.

Then said Belline: I heard screaming; what
was that? I heard Lampe crying, Help!
Have you done any mischief to him?—The
Fox said, I was talking of my pilgrimage, at
which my wife was in despair; a deadly fear
came over her, so that she fell down in a
swoon. That frightened Lampe, and he cried,
Help, Belline! Belline! come quickly, or my
aunt will die.—I only know, said Belline, that
he cried in agony.—No hair of him has been
harmed, swore the Fox. Now listen to me!
I have some ideas of importance which the
king begged me to write down for him. They
are just written. My dear nephew, will you
take them with you? There is prudent
counsel in those letters.

My dear Reineke, said Belline, you must
take care to close them well, because I have
no pocket; were the seal to break, I might get
into trouble.—Reineke said: Leave me to
manage that. There is the scrip made out of
Bruin's hide, and that is thick and strong; it
will just hold the packet. The King certainly
will give you a reward, and you will be thrice
welcome.—Belline believed all that. The Fox
then hastened back into the house, and stuffed
into the scrip the head of Lampe. And he
said, as he came out again, Hang the scrip
round your neck, my nephew, and be careful
not to peep into the letters. Do not so much
as unfasten the scrip, for I have tied it with a
private knot, which the King and I use
between each other, in sending matters of
importance.

And if you wish to secure in a special
manner the King's favour, you may tell him,
when you come into his presence, with a joyful
air, that you bring with you a valuable
packet, and that you helped me to make it
up ; this will get honour for you. Belline
was delighted, and he made great haste, and
by noon returned to court.

When the King saw him enter with the
scrip, he said, What does this mean, Belline,
and where is Reineke?—Belline said, Gracious
King, he bade me bring you letters. You
will find them to contain important matters,
treated in a very subtle way; what they
contain has been put in by my advice; here they
are in the scrip. Reineke tied the knot.

Then, when the head of the murdered
Lampe was drawn forth, the King, drooping
his head, said, O Reineke, if I still had you
here!—The King and Queen were sorely
troubled. Reineke has betrayed me! cried
the King, O that I never had believed his
lies! The King appeared bewildered, and all
the animals together were bewildered with
him.

But Lupardus, the King's near relation,
exclaimed, Out upon it! Why are you
distressed? Are you not master? Must not all
obey you here?

The King said, That is my distress. I have
abused my power. I have disgraced, for a
rascal, Isegrim and Bruin, the best barons of
my court. I followed my wife too rashly, and
repentance now comes late.

Lupardus said, Grieve not, my lord. Give
the Ram up as a sin-offering to the Bear and
Wolf, and the Wolf's wife; for Belline openly
and pertly has confessed that he advised the
death of Lampe; punish him for that. And
we will march out against Reineke, take him,
and hang him instantly; for if he comes to
speak, he will get free again.

The King said to Lupardus, I like your
advice. Fetch the two barons; they shall
take their seats beside me. Call all the
animals to court. All shall do homage to the
Wolf and Bear; and as atonement to those
gentlemen, I will give up into their power
Belline and his heirs for ever.

So it was done. The Ram was executed;
and all his relations, and all his posterity, are
to this day followed by the race of Isegrim.
But in honour of Isegrim and Bruin, the King
prolonged for twelve more days the sitting of
his court; that all the world might see how
thoroughly they were restored to favour.

NEVER DESPAIR.

THE opal-hued and many perfumed Morn
           From Gloom is born ;
From out the sullen depth of ebon Night
           The stars shed light ;
Gems in the rayless caverns of the earth
            Have their slow birth ;
From wondrous alchemy of winter-hours
            Come summer-flowers ;
The bitter waters of the restless main
            Give gentle rain ;
The fading bloom and dry seed bring once more
           The year's fresh store ;
Just sequences of clashing Tones afford
            The full accord